• One place that I have long wanted to check out in Bangkok is Sirocco, the sky bar at lebua Hotel. What makes this bar particularly awesome is that it is perched open-air on the hotel rooftop, more than 60 floors above the ground! Imagine having a drink here with the wind in your face and the world at your feet. Now, isn’t that a thrill!
There are at least two such bars in Bangkok, the other being Vertigo at The Banyan Tree. Between the two, Sirocco boasts a bigger and higher sky bar, with a view of the Chao Phraya River as a bonus!
Directly adjacent to the bar is a restaurant with rather pricey food. So our plan is to simply go there, have a drink and enjoy the marvellous view. Apparently many people, expatriates and tourists alike, have the exact same idea.
Which is why even with just standing room available, the bar is crowded with people. The restaurant on the other hand has just a handful of customers!
And this is the view from the second tallest building in the city, 66 floors above the ground. The tallest would be the Baiyoke Sky Hotel.
Here, you get a good view of the Chao Phraya River and the other side of town. There is netting by the edge of the bar, so if anyone gets overly excited and drops their glasses, they would simply fall right into the net.
Our drinks (beer and kahlua on the rocks) are rather expensive even by Singapore standards. But this is exactly the kind of place where you pay for the experience more than anything else. I am glad I can finally check it off my list!
lebua Hotel at State Tower
1055 Silom Road
Bangkok, Thailand
Nearest BTS/mrt: BTS Saphan Taksin
Tel: +66 02 624 9555 | Website
6pm – 1am daily
Dec 3, 2009
13
But wait, don’t you have to reserve a place, or be properly attired before going to the skybar?
I’ve read about stories on how people get turned away.
Dec 5, 2009
3472
They don’t seem to take reservations for the sky bar, probably because there are no seats in the first place. The little standing room there is gets REALLY crowded. As for attire, I just make sure no one goes there wearing berms or flip-flops. Not so sure about jeans though. I feel it’s better to play safe and dress nicely rather than go all the way there and be turned away at the door. That would suck.
Oh they have a strict no-photography rule, too, for some reasons unknown to me.
Dec 4, 2009
57
You do have to dress appropriately – e.g. no slippers.
I’m surprised they let you take photos of the Dome/restaurant area. When I tried doing this on previous occasions they were quite nasty about it… which I thought was silly, so I never went back. The hotel itself is also rather *average* in my opinion. For the price, I can stay at better properties.
A bit of a rip-off. I preferred the service at Banyan Tree’s Vertigo. They even take a photograph of your evening and present it to you as a gift there. Do check that one out!
Dec 5, 2009
3472
Yes, that no-photography rule bothered me, too. They cited some safety reason. I was like, what? As though anyone’s gonna fall off! I just went ahead and took my photos anyways. They seem to allow it at the bar.
And I HAVE to check out Vertigo. The photograph is given free to all customers? How about those people that go there for just a drink and nothing else?
Dec 4, 2009
1
when i went ther last year. I went in the most casual clothes ever. it was a little busy but I found the cocktails quite cheap in comparison to singapore. Singapore is ridiculous!
Dec 5, 2009
3472
Alcoholic drinks are generally much more expensive in Singapore due to the tax. But I thought the drinks at Sirocco cost even more!
Dec 16, 2009
137
I wonder why we don’t have any open-air rooftop bar in Singapore that is as high up as Sirocco, considering we have so many skyscrapers. Those that we do have, Loof, etc, are only 3-4 levels above the ground lol!
Dec 16, 2009
57
It actually is possible to get on the helipad of the Swissotel Stamford. So, yes, Singapore *does* have it, but good luck getting an invite / someone to host…
Dec 16, 2009
3472
Wow! I just googled around for the photos. Invite-only indeed! If they decide to develop it into a concept like Sirocco or Vertigo, they are bound to make big bucks.
Dec 17, 2009
137
Umm, is it really a helipad or do they just call it that? Because if it functions as a helipad then quite unlikely to be made into a bar.
May 13, 2011
1
That is a nice place and great view of the city. Correct too about the price factor but then again every city has it’s high end place to visit
Nov 27, 2013
1
I am not a big cocktail drinker but the views on top of the Sirocco hotel look so amazing I would just have to go up there and buy one just to be able to check it out!